Japan Marketing News

Sony launches P with great train advertising

According to Walter Mossberger, who reviewed Sony's newest mini notebook, the VAIO P, for the Wall Street Journal, the device disappoints on performance.

"Vaio P is mainly undone because it comes with Vista Home Premium, the edition of Windows that is sluggish and a memory hog. . . And the Vista problem is made worse by the processor inside the machine, which is an especially slow version of the Intel Atom chip often used in netbooks.. . .[In tests], programs launched painfully slowly, delays were common and start-up and reboot times were glacial. . .Video playback was choppy. . ."

But the posters SONY has been using to announce the launch in Japan are eye-catching and effective.

Who wouldn't want a sexy little computer you can carry around in your back pocket?

Japan POP: vending machine

Mechanical/moving POP are seen widely throughout Japan. Here's a typical example of one from a soft drink vending machine.

Sugarless sake

As this large-scale subway poster from Japan sake maker Gekkeikan shows, even the nation's most traditional beverages are now available in sugarless alternatives.

"Kim" and "Becky" amongst most used celebs in Japanese ads

It's no secret that Japanese TV commercials heavily rely on the use of celebrities both domestic and foreign, or that it's common to see famous faces appearing for multiple brands during the year (often with ads for different companies airing at the same time).

But which performers are most in demand?

According to data compiled by Japan Monitor, amongst male celebrities, singer/actor Takuya Kimura (a.k.a. "Kim Taku") appeared in the most campaigns (10 different brands), while the most oft used female was model/actress/singer "Becky," who starred in ads for 14 companies.

While Kim Taku's affiliation with 10 different brands is impressive, in actuality he tied former pro tennis player Shuzo Matsuoka for first amongst men, and when tallies for both genders were combined, he was matched by five female performers who were featured in 10 TV ads too.

The true runner-up amongst all celebs was TV and film actress Saki Aibu, who showed up in spots for 11 different brands.

Tobacco company lures trendy Japanese with Kool packaging

I was paging through a trendy Japanese magazine the other day when I came across this ad. Before even noticing the name of the brand, the first word out of my mouth was cool. With packaging like this available, it's no wonder that a lot of fashion-conscious Japanese youth continue to smoke. Packages like these are fashion accessories.

The box was developed specifically for distribution through Japan's Circle K Sunkus convenience store chain. Click for a larger view.

What is McDonald's Japan up to?

Last month, McDonald's Japan closed its Omotesando shop without warning and a few weeks later, just as suddenly, this QUARTER POUNDER shop appeared. It's basically the old store, but they've removed most of the fixtures, furniture and wall coverings, closed the dining areas and painted the place black and red. And they've cut the menu down to just a few items. You can order Coke or Coke light, french fries, and either a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, or a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (which, if I recall from my training in English and math, more accurately should have been called a Half Pounder with Cheese, but I digress). 

If you look closely, you'll see that nowhere on the signage or inside the shop do you see the "Golden Arches." That's because McDonald's never announced to the general public that the store—and the Quarter Pounder—are affiliated with the company (the last time McDonald's sold the Quarter Pounder in Japan was the late 1970's, so essentially it's brand new for most people). McDonald's Japan is keeping the QP's origins a mystery, perhaps hoping to create some kind of drama to generate pre-buzz before the sandwich is released through regular shops. Obliquely, they're running a consumer promotion in which Quarter Pounder shop customers receive a quiz card asking "which famous hamburger company is affiliated with the Quarter Pounder?" Those that bother to mail in correct answers have the chance to win something in a prize drawing.

Why on earth are they going this route? After all, McDonald's has quite a bit of accumulated positive brand equity in Japan, and they can certainly afford to do a national roll out using a real ad campaign. So why open just two specialty locations in Tokyo (there is one additional shop in nearby Shibuya, located, oddly, in a poorly traveled back alley) instead of opting for the time honored approach? The product has already tested successfully in regional Japanese markets.

Harajuku Gap: Blue Christmas?

Perhaps wanting to avoid the blues—what with Japanese consumer spending at the lowest levels in years, and with rival H&M just having opened down the street—the Gap's Harajuku flagship has really ratcheted up its holiday decorations this season. The duo walls of the facade have been blinking impressively with giant snowflakes and holiday greetings, and the grand steps are home to a Christmas tree—I believe—for the first time. Click for a larger view.